Cookstown breeders dominate Aberdeen-Angus bull sale in Stirling

Securing the overall Aberdeen-Angus Stirling Bull Sales championship and the top price of the day at 11,000gns was Drumhill Lord Hatfield R532 from Jonathan and Lisa Doyle, Cookstown, selling to Kevin Mcoscar.

Leading the way for them to take the intermediate and overall supreme championship was the March 2015-born Drumhill Lord Hatfield R532. This ET-bred Nightingale Proud Jake G405 son is out of Blelack Lady Heather J169, herself a daughter of the popular sire Netherallan Peter Pershore E052.

Commenting on his win, Jonathan Doyle said: “The Stirling Bull Sales is the pinnacle in any Aberdeen-Angus breeder’s career, so to take a championship there is one huge achievement in itself but to top the trade is something else indeed and a memory that will last for some time to come.”

Jonathan and Lisa, who run 40 cows, established the Drumhill herd just eight years ago and have already celebrated many championships both with bulls and females at the local Dungannon Farmers Mart official Society sales, as well as the Balmoral Bull Sales and the prestigious Balmoral Show.

Breeders Jonathan and Lisa Doyle celebrated further success as they took the senior championship in the Aberdeen-Angus line up at the Stirling Bull Sales, before selling Dumhill Lord Hampton R414 for 5000gns to the Nightingale herd in Worcestershire, England, of Messrs Robertson.

With a self replacing index of +50, Lord Hatfield heads back across the water at 11,000gns with Kevin Mcoscar, Cookstown, for his Island Farm herd. Having established his herd in 2014, Kevin purchased the top priced female at the Weeton sale last year and is establishing an elite herd in Northern Ireland.

The Doyle’s senior champion, Drumhill Lord Hampton R414, went on to sell for 5000gns. This Peter Pershore son is out of Blelack Lady Heather E169 and sold to the noted Nightingale herd of the Robertson family, Pershore, Worcestershire. “To sell both bulls to pedigree herds is a massive achievement and shows there is some strong belief in the genetics of our herd,” adds Jonathan. “It was easy to see the demand for Aberdeen-Angus genetics at the sale with many commercial beef cattle producers bidding hard to secure stock bulls.”

Also heading back to Northern Ireland with a 10,000gns price tag was the reserve intermediate and reserve overall champion, Linton Gilbertines Masterpiece R941, from the Trustees of the Late Gordon Brooke, at Upper Huntleywood Farm, Earlston.

By Rawburn Black Hawk L261, he’s out of the Riverbed Powerline daughter, Linton Gilbertines Missy L457 and has a self replacing index of +53 and a terminal index of +43. This one sold to J Kelly, Co Londonderry.

Blelack sale sets new female breed record of 35,000gns

The noted Blelack herd of Messrs Neil and Graeme Massie, Dinnet, Aberdeenshire, saw a phenomenal trade throughout and witnessed a new female breed record set of 35,000gns, beaten by 3000gns, previously set by the Massie family.

Their sale leader was Blelack Lady Eraline J258, an ET-bred May 2009-born daughter of Oneills Renovator and out of Oneills Lady Eraline. She sold to George Pirie who was buying on behalf of Hannah and Eric Heerema of Balavil Estate, Kingussie, in the Scottish Highlands, who bought some 25 lots on the day.

Coming across the water from the Blelack sale with Moses Irwin, Fintona, Co Tyrone, was the April 2016-born bull calf, Blelack Lord Heston S721, a son of Hallington Principal M367.

Of the females offered in the collective sale, the Elliot family of the Rawburn herd, Roxburgh Mains, Scottish Borders, sold their March 2014-born heifer, Rawburn Evergreen P899, for 6500gns to James Alexander, Randalstown, co Antrim. This one is a daughter of Rawburn Black Hawk L261 and is out of Rawburn Evergreen J004, a Rawburn Randolph F555 daughter.

Bull averages: 26 sold (40 offered) to average £5379 (up £835 on the year).

Blelack: 25 cows and calves £5926, 38 cows and heifers in calf £7466, 14 bull calves £4598, 13 heifers £6090.